Mastodawn

Daniel Bohrer Jan 24, 2024

I finally found a good offer for a hand-cranked grinder on the local classifieds. The seller didn't know the model, but the "Ixion" logo was still recognizable to me – an old German make, probably from the 1930s, that usually goes for twice the asking price… 🙂

It only needed a bit of light clean up with soap and a wire brush. The insides were still good as new, but the screw hole holding the hand crank tight needed a small reminder that it once was an M5 thread…
#HandTools #ToolRestoration

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Daniel Bohrer Jan 24, 2024

That's what fascinates me about these old machines: they just work! No motor coils or electronics that can burn out, or refuse to work because the software wasn't updated in time, just three plain gears and a cover to hold the lubricants in. Basic physics that lasts several lifetimes!

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Daniel Bohrer Feb 22, 2024

In a way, modern material science is probably the reason that these kinds of ever-lasting machines are no longer manufactured today. We have gained the knowledge how thin and cheap we can manufacture parts so that they last exactly their intended life span, and not a year more. This knowledge has paved the way for capitalism to decrease the time between product cycles to their liking: if you want a well-built product, you better be ready to pay extra for it.

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Daniel Bohrer Feb 22, 2024

On the other hand, the decrease in cost to built a product also makes it affordable for more people.
For example let's have a look at household sewing machines. This ad [1] for the Singer "New Family" model puts the most basic model at $60, and these models were manufactured from ~1865–1900 [2]. The average wage in the US in 1870 was about $2.23 per day [3], so the machine cost about one month's wage.

[1]: https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/page1.html
[2]: https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/early_singer_history_new_family.html
[3]: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/bulletin-united-states-bureau-labor-3943/september-1898-477571/wages-united-states-europe-1870-1898-498267?start_page=8

Singer New Family Sewing Machine Advertisement Page 1

Page 1 of Singer's New Family sewing machine advertisements.

International Sewing Machine Collectors Society

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Daniel Bohrer Feb 22, 2024

You can still get a used Singer "New Family" model for about $120 in today's money on eBay.

But for $350 you can also get a whole new sewing machine [4]. The difference is that today's average wages in the US have climbed to around $1000 per week [5], so you only have to work about three days to afford a sewing machine.

[4]: https://www.singer.com/machines/computerized
[5]: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/monthly-labor-review-6130/june-2022-619258/wages-converging-2010s-expansion-633526?start_page=22

Computerized Sewing Machines | Singer.com

Computerized sewing machines offer automatic stitch settings, speed control and other easy to use features. With essential accessories included, you can't beat Singer's quality and value!

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Daniel Bohrer Feb 24, 2024

Speaking of sewing machines, and Things That Just Work… got a new old tool today: Pfaff Model 30 treadle sewing machine from 1950 🥰

#Pfaff30 #AntiqueTools

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Daniel Bohrer Feb 24, 2024

And it just runs and runs and runs… this machine was obviously well cared for by its previous owner(s), I didn't have to oil anything at all (yet). Will still clean it up before its first productive use though.

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Daniel Bohrer Feb 26, 2024

Forgot to take a "before" picture, but here's a "during" picture. The insides was only a bit dusty, and the caked-up oil went away well with isopropyl alcohol.